HYDERABAD: A 5-year-old girl who had gone missing while playing outside her home was found dead with her throat slit in the bathroom of an abandoned house in Adarsh Nagar, Jagtial district, on Saturday. Police suspect a family feud may have led to the brutal killing.
According to Jagtial police, the prime suspect is the girl’s aunt, whose husband is the younger brother of the victim’s father, A. Ramulu. Both Ramulu and his brother had recently left for the Gulf in search of employment.
The child was last seen playing near her home before she disappeared. After a frantic but unsuccessful search, her family approached local authorities. Police launched a search operation and, based on information gathered from local residents—including children—entered a nearby abandoned house, where they discovered the girl’s body in a pool of blood in the bathroom.
“The house had no gate or door and was in a neglected condition. Entry was largely unrestricted,” a police official said. The house is owned by a man named Vijay, who was reportedly in Warangal at the time of the incident. His family members were also not present.
Following inquiries at the scene, police questioned several individuals, including the victim’s family members. Inconsistencies in the statements made by the co-sister of the victim’s mother, Naveena, raised suspicion.
Upon sustained interrogation, the woman allegedly confessed to killing the child, citing jealousy and personal differences with Naveena as the motive, police said.
Although the suspect is currently in custody, police said she had attempted to destroy evidence, and details of those actions have not yet been made public. As of Sunday evening, she had not been formally arrested, with questioning still underway.
